Difficulties minorities and women face accessing funds to buy and keep afloat media companies was a theme of every panel of broadcasters, programmers, investors and attorneys at Thursday's FCC broadcast symposium on media diversity. Broadcast incubation programs, the defunct minority tax certificate and a “raised eyebrow” from the agency encouraging companies to pursue diversity were broached as possible solutions. The agency should hold a diversity symposium for large media companies, because the largely minority attendees now are mostly “talking to ourselves,” said Bayou City Broadcasting CEO DuJuan McCoy. Companies wouldn't turn down an invitation to such an event from Chairman Ajit Pai, said Beasley Media CEO Caroline Beasely.

An FCC broadband report draft appears to rely on "tremendous over-reporting by a single CLEC/WISP," Free Press said. "Wildly over-inflated" data from Barrier Communications (BarrierFree) exaggerates the agency's claimed improvement in national broadband deployment in 2017, FP filed, posted Wednesday in docket 18-238. It said the FCC must address the error before adopting the 2019 report on the adequacy of advanced telecom capability deployment pursuant to a Telecom Act Section 706 mandate.

An FCC broadband report draft appears to rely on "tremendous over-reporting by a single CLEC/WISP," Free Press said. "Wildly over-inflated" data from Barrier Communications (BarrierFree) exaggerates the agency's claimed improvement in national broadband deployment in 2017, FP filed, posted Wednesday in docket 18-238. It said the FCC must address the error before adopting the 2019 report on the adequacy of advanced telecom capability deployment pursuant to a Telecom Act Section 706 mandate.

Democrats are aiming to move their newly filed Save the Internet Act through the House first amid perceptions the net neutrality bill faces better prospects there than in the Senate, lobbyists said. The bill mirrors the Congressional Review Act resolution that last year aimed to undo FCC rescission of its 2015 rules. Colorado and Hawaii state-level net neutrality bills this week cleared their originating chambers.

Democrats are aiming to move their newly filed Save the Internet Act through the House first amid perceptions the net neutrality bill faces better prospects there than in the Senate, lobbyists said. The bill mirrors the Congressional Review Act resolution that last year aimed to undo FCC rescission of its 2015 rules. Colorado and Hawaii state-level net neutrality bills this week cleared their originating chambers.

The “potential effects” of the new California Consumer Privacy Act “are far-reaching” and may force Roku to modify its “data processing practices and policies and to incur substantial costs and expenses” to comply, said a 10-K SEC filing Friday. The CCPA (see 1812070054) was recently amended and may be amended again before it takes effect in January, said Roku. The legislation “places additional requirements on the handling of personal data,” it said. It gives residents “expanded rights to access and require deletion of their personal information, opt out of certain personal information sharing and receive detailed information about how their personal information is used,” said the company. It stipulates civil penalties for violations, plus “a private right of action for data breaches” that might raise Roku’s exposure to litigation, it noted: “We are continuing to assess the impact of the CCPA and proposed amendments to the law on our business.”

The “potential effects” of the new California Consumer Privacy Act “are far-reaching” and may force Roku to modify its “data processing practices and policies and to incur substantial costs and expenses” to comply, said a 10-K SEC filing Friday. The CCPA (see 1812070054) was recently amended and may be amended again before it takes effect in January, said Roku. The legislation “places additional requirements on the handling of personal data,” it said. It gives residents “expanded rights to access and require deletion of their personal information, opt out of certain personal information sharing and receive detailed information about how their personal information is used,” said the company. It stipulates civil penalties for violations, plus “a private right of action for data breaches” that might raise Roku’s exposure to litigation, it noted: “We are continuing to assess the impact of the CCPA and proposed amendments to the law on our business.”

The “potential effects” of the new California Consumer Privacy Act “are far-reaching” and may force Roku to modify its “data processing practices and policies and to incur substantial costs and expenses” to comply, said a 10-K SEC filing Friday. The CCPA (see 1812070054) was recently amended and may be amended again before it takes effect in January, said Roku. The legislation “places additional requirements on the handling of personal data,” it said. It gives residents “expanded rights to access and require deletion of their personal information, opt out of certain personal information sharing and receive detailed information about how their personal information is used,” said the company. It stipulates civil penalties for violations, plus “a private right of action for data breaches” that might raise Roku’s exposure to litigation, it noted: “We are continuing to assess the impact of the CCPA and proposed amendments to the law on our business.”

An FCC proceeding on TV ratings isn’t likely to lead to agency action beyond its congressionally required report (see 1902260059) but could put public pressure on programmers, said attorneys and content-industry officials in interviews. Though the PN released last week seeks comment only on the ratings and ratings board, longtime rating system critic Parents Television Council wants the proceeding to lead to pressure on the programmers comprising the ratings board and possibly the FCC's dissolving the system. PTC’s influence is seen as a reason for the directive in the 2019 Consolidated Appropriations Act ordering the FCC to report to Congress by May 15.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer wouldn’t commit Wednesday to suspending the Trump administration’s Section 301 tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese imports even if the U.S. reaches a trade deal with China.